Lawmakers approve audit of Colo. energy grants

Lawmakers approve audit of how Colorado energy grants were spent

DENVER (AP) -- Colorado auditors will investigate the State Energy Program's grant expenditures to see whether there's evidence of waste and fraud.

Lawmakers on the Legislative Audit Committee unanimously approved the investigation Tuesday, which will take months to complete. The audit will look at the grant awards from the State's Energy Program from 2007 to 2010.

Republican Sen. Steve King requested the investigation because of a January state audit of the Colorado Energy Office, which administered the State Energy Program grants, showed misspending and sloppy accounting in the state's energy development office.

King said in a letter requesting an audit of SEP that the January audit highlights an increased risk for abuse in grant spending.